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Someone Asks Why IT Employees Are Such Jerks All The Time, They Share 30 Reasons
A few days ago, an artist from North Carolina BJ Smith cut straight to the point and tweeted, "Why are IT guys such [jerks]?" I get his frustration. When I signed with my current ISP, they sent over an employee to connect me to their network only for him to criticize me for the mess that was my apartment complex's cable layout. As if it was my fault.
Usually, these rhetorical questions remain unanswered. But not this time. People working in the industry took their time to reply to BJ Smith. They described the (toxic) nonsense surrounding their jobs, reminding people that everyone has a boiling point while painting a pretty good picture of their everyday routine. One that most of us were probably not aware of before. So continue scrolling and check out what IT workers have to deal with. Maybe it'll help you find some common ground the next time you have them over.
Image credits: BJSmithArt
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To learn more about what inspired the initial tweet, we contacted BJ Smith himself and he was kind enough to have a little chat. "I've had different experiences with IT [guys] at places I've worked. Some were great and I consider them friends," the artist told Bored Panda.
"Unfortunately many others have personalities that aren't well suited for interacting with people. Someone mentioned in an Instagram comment that the work attracts people that don't have the best social skills—I'm paraphrasing. It comes across as arrogance with a condescending tone. Not the best for a working relationship."
That being said, BJ Smith understands that they're human too and have to deal with people that shouldn't be allowed anywhere near technology in the first place.
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#2
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
Got called to a location because their server was making strange beeping noises. Went there. Someone had placed a heavy box on the keyboard that was connected to the server. That's what you get when your server room is also the closet where the cleaner and gardener keep their stuff.
"I worked for an IT company that ran a dial-up internet service early in my career. Part of my job as a webmaster was to answer service calls," he recalled. "Many of those calls were painful, but I had to remember they are our customers and need to be treated professionally."
When it comes to the replies to his tweet, BJ Smith remained humble and said he took the thumping he deserved for making a generalization. "There are great IT people out there. I wrote what I did in a moment of weakness," he explained.
But while many IT professionals gave examples of the BS they go through, BJ Smith thinks that "they also need to realize that not all people they deal with are the same either. I’m not one of the three people that couldn't tell the server wasn't on."
#5
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago (edited)
CEO: Here I found this shady free program on getyourvirus.ru and I want you to install it on the server. /S
"I also saw a ton of support too," he added. "I heard from several people who had similar experiences. I even had friends in IT [sending me DM's of] support."
If he had to do it all over again, the artist wouldn't generalize or stereotype the entire industry but he doesn't think he did the wrong thing by expressing his frustrations. And neither do I. If anything, the thread he has started has brought empathy to a discussion that's usually fueled by hostility and mockery. From both camps.
#7
Troux 3 years ago
For work I have approx 20 different modules/sites I have to log into, most with unique requirements for usernames and passwords, as well as forced password change cycles. Some of these I will only use about once/year. Not allowed to save passwords, nor write them down electronically or physically.....Yes, I'm going to forget and IT is usually the only place to turn.
#8
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
Own stupid fault. Should have told them to power the server off with some story how the server didn't properly start up because the southbridge had an undercurrent which cause the flux-capacitor to go in survival mode affecting the data flow in the PCI-X lines which in its turned caused the Kb's to get stuck in the memory slots sending an overflow signal to the PSU which triggered the secondary converter circuit to shut down as you would expect to happen in a case of ID10ts.
"I did the wrong thing by lashing out and insulting great IT people that weren't responsible for the situation I was in at that moment, [but] I hope that everyone can learn from this moment," BJ Smith said.
"Don’t post when you're feeling extreme emotions. Look at these situations from [different angles]. That goes for both the customers and the IT people."
#12
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
Most computer problems start somewhere between the back of the chair and the front of the monitor.
#13
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago (edited)
Yes and? The pure fact that you are in no way affiliated to any internet service provider doesn't get you of the hook. You will be held responsible for anything from dogs pooping in the park to climate change and, even worse, expensive internet subscriptions. /S
#14
#15
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
IT guys are great interrogators. "I have problem. Excel won't start..." "So what happened when you clicked uninstall Office 2020?"
#16
John Smith 3 years ago
scope-creep is one thing, but a lot of the time it is dancing goalposts with no actual end in sight. I worked on one project for 3 months, only to get told that there was a load more requirements decided on in a meeting no one in the dev team was invited to. Our manager "forgot" to pass on the information. Roll on another 3 months and the spec changes again, more features. The peice of software has now been in development hell for 3 years, as no-one can understand the simple concept that is, if you change the spec, it takes more time. New features require more time to write.
#17
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago (edited)
But than I get this strange screen asking me for a username and password. But my username isn't J.Brown and I don't know his password. /S
#18
Ahimsa Soul 3 years ago
Jerks are jerks to everyone. This doesn't happen on IT. Trust me, I work in Marketing: people do not read. Even if they do, they don"t understand what they are reading.
#19
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
PR-department gets a annual budget of $3 million. IT-department gets a voucher for $5 discount at Best Buy.
#20
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
No, but I feel that I shouldn't have to. And I also didn't consult your FAQ-database where the problem and the solution in 2 easy to follow steps are documented with screen shots.
#21
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
And next refuse to do what you tell them because people in their position don't take orders from some nerd in the basement.
#22
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
Tel a computer do this and the computer does this. Tell a human to do this and the human will do everything except this.
#23
Uber Mensch 3 years ago
Listen to what I'm _actually saying_, as opposed to what you *think* you're hearing.
#24
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
PICNIC = Problem In Chair, Not In Computer. ID10T = Idiot. Used in ticket systems to inform co-workers about the computer skills of the one who submitted the ticket for support.
#25
Grady'sRaider 3 years ago
Step one, tell them they didn't break the program, the code is broken. Now I need you to show me what you did to make it happen, so I can fix it. Always. Thanks, and have a better day.
#26
Daniel Atkins 3 years ago (edited)
cust. "I need toner. Me "ok you have a color machine which one?" cust; :"it says I need toner." Me: but is hac a letter c,m,y or K behind it which letter is showing?" cust: "It says It needs toner!" Me: drags a whole set because they can't read. Same thing with an error code.
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What do you think ?
Chich 3 years ago
I don't know. I've worked with one too many IT people who have no idea what other people do but are complete obnoxious smug bastards when people don't understand their work or jargon.
Troux 3 years ago (edited)
This is my experience with IT, as well as engineers and other skilled jobs. I see several of those types with posts here, calling people 'low IQ' or 'incompetent' and frustrated that other people don't have the specialized knowledge that they took years learning. Best way to deal with IT is over the phone to help with communication and keep both sides respectful.
Load More Replies...
Aiden Brough 3 years ago
To be fair, only last week I had an issue at work where a piece of software went 'unresponsive' when I tried to update it. I went through FOUR support staff asking me the usual checkbox stuff regardless of what I was telling them (I've been with IT for over 40 years). It was worrying when you know more than the people you hope will help you and they're more panicked than you are... BTW I got the problem sorted... Without their help...
Mazer 3 years ago
People in careers who deal with the general public are all going to deal with people who lie or just can’t get there. You choose to be a duck or be professional, just be thankful your customer is not there in person taking their frustrations out on you physically, like nurses, first responders, waitresses etc do.
Robin DJW 3 years ago
Oh, come now. If you have a very ill patient whose care is interrupted because of a computer glitch (whether it's a PEBCAK or a real issue), you are going to get frantic and that can express as hostility. Know thy customer.
Load More Replies... Chich 3 years ago
I don't know. I've worked with one too many IT people who have no idea what other people do but are complete obnoxious smug bastards when people don't understand their work or jargon.
Troux 3 years ago (edited)
This is my experience with IT, as well as engineers and other skilled jobs. I see several of those types with posts here, calling people 'low IQ' or 'incompetent' and frustrated that other people don't have the specialized knowledge that they took years learning. Best way to deal with IT is over the phone to help with communication and keep both sides respectful.
Load More Replies... Aiden Brough 3 years ago
To be fair, only last week I had an issue at work where a piece of software went 'unresponsive' when I tried to update it. I went through FOUR support staff asking me the usual checkbox stuff regardless of what I was telling them (I've been with IT for over 40 years). It was worrying when you know more than the people you hope will help you and they're more panicked than you are... BTW I got the problem sorted... Without their help...
Mazer 3 years ago
People in careers who deal with the general public are all going to deal with people who lie or just can’t get there. You choose to be a duck or be professional, just be thankful your customer is not there in person taking their frustrations out on you physically, like nurses, first responders, waitresses etc do.
Robin DJW 3 years ago
Oh, come now. If you have a very ill patient whose care is interrupted because of a computer glitch (whether it's a PEBCAK or a real issue), you are going to get frantic and that can express as hostility. Know thy customer.
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